Cigarette extinguishing means and ash receptacle



Patented Dec. 16, 1952 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHING MEANS AND ASH RECEPTACLE v ArthurJohn Gaskin, Elwood, Victoria, Australia Application October 12, 1948, Serial No. 54,146 In AustraliaDecember 3, 1947V f 9 Claims.

This invention relates to smokers devices and one general object is to provide a receptacle embodying novel means for extinguishing cigarettes and cigars.

A specific object is to provide a smokers device havng a readily penetrable extinguishing pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material supported magnetically between the poles of a magnet with a free air space below said pad.

Another specific object is to provide a device having a body housing a magnet and incorporating an ash cavity, said body or housing being formed above the bottomof the ash cavity with a slot which extends between the poles of the magnet and in which said pad of ferro-magnetic material may be accommodated.

A further object is to provide a smokers device adapted to be attached magnetically to a support of ferrous metal.

Yet another object is to provide a device having a magnet which is' so arranged as to support the said extinguishing pad and also enable said devicev to be attached magnetically to a support.

In the ensuing description of exemplary forms of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in sectional side View of a smokers device incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the device shown in Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a view in sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Fig. 4 is a view half in plan elevation and half in sectional plan of a portion of the housing of the device taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 and shows a modification embodying an electromagnet;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one form of ash tray in accordance with the invention;

Fig. '7 is a View in section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view in section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

The smokers device shown in Figures 1 to 4 has a housing comprising an inner portion l0 and an outer portion Illa both moulded from suitable plastic material, the said outer portion being in the form of a horizontally disposed cylindrical shell which is closed at the front and open at the back and which additionally is formed at the top with a relatively large opening I0b which provides access to the interior thereof.

The inner portion I0 of the housing is arrangedwithin the outer portion Illa thereof and serves as a partial closure therefor for which purpose the rear end of said inner portion is flat and arcuate and fits neatlywithin the said outer portion, while the forward end of said inner por# tion is located by an internal shoulder I0c in the outer portion. y

Forwardly of the back, the inner body portion l0 is of hollow U shape in vertical section whereby a longitudinally extending slot l2, of sufficient width to permit a cigarette I6 to pass, is formed between the spaced upper portions thereof. This slot is in register with the opening I0b in the top of the outer portion of the housing and the sides of the said slot are defined by spaced inner walls |03 which merge together at theirlower ends at |04 to define the bottom of the slot.

This slot I2 is open at its forward end and the bottom I04thereof inclines forwardly and downwardly whereby ash which falls thereonto will be directed into an ash compartment II in the forward part of the outer portion Illa of the housing.

The hollow interior of the inner housing portion |0 is also U-shaped in vertical section and the U-shaped cavity is closed at the frontbut extends to the back thereof, so that a permanent magnet I3 of incomplete circular or so-called horseshoe shape may be inserted thereinto and secured therewithin as by means of a suitable cement. The spaced arms I3' vof the magnet thus extend upwardly within corresponding spaced hollow portions |05 of the housing l0 wherebyl the pole portions formed by the upper ends I32 of thermagnet arms are disposed outwardly of, and substantially in contact with, the upper ends of the respective vinner walls |03 which dene the opposite sides of the slot I2. I

Accordingly, the field of the magnet extends through the said walls |03 and across the upper portion of the slot I2.

After the magnet is fixed in position, the open back of the housing is closed by a thin at disc 20 which is suitably secured in position and the outer surface of this disc is covered with frictional material 2 I, such as rubber, to resist sliding movements when the receptacle is attached to a vertical support as hereafter explained.

A pad I5 of finely divided ferro-magnetic material is arranged horizontally within the slot I2 between the pole portions I32 of the magnet I3 and is retained in such position solely by the magnetic eld, such pad being preferably formed of magnetic oxide of iron, ground to a substantially impalpablepowder.

f The particles of the ferro-magnetic material between so that ash is freetofall ifrom'the' pad and is then directed into the compartment I I.

Moreover, the extinguished cigarettamay ibe left supported in the pad I and when it is subsequently withdrawn the cavity formed thereby in the said pad is partly relled, by the consequent redistribution of i the ferro-magnetic par ticles withinrthe-,magnetic eld.

V:Ash or other -nonfma-gnetic :material which is .depositedrron -or withinrthepad maybe removed to a-suiicientextent .by inverting the .device `and shaking or tapping same.

The-said pad may -be formedvby pouring the powdered ferro-magneticmaterial -into the slot I2-1between the poles of the rmagnet but the sameeis preferably supplied as -a paper ywrapped refill which may be linserted inthe Arequired positionvafter which the paper wrapping may be burnt-01T.

fAs ,the rear lportions ofthe ffree -vupper ends I 32 of -themagnet-are disposedin contact with the closure disc 20,' the magnetic-held also eX- tends through thespace immediately behind the devicefand the latter may thus `be readily retained1 by magnetic attraction to a steelsupport vI8 and-it-will -be evident -that therubber. covering 2l tends ytof/prevent the deviceirom slipping downwardly when the same is supported in this way.

|-In Vaddition, 'fthe lower portion .of the body yportion .10a is jpreferablyformed 'with integral projections -Idewhich -enable the device to be supportedinan upright "position on "a table or the like.

While itis preferred to vprovide'asingle magnet for forming the pad |5'Yand for enabling the receptacle toibemagnetically attached to a sup port, it-will -be obvious that' if `desired Tseparate magnets may fbe employed for these g purposes. Also, 'when it isfdesiredffto provide afsingle re ceptacle-.with a `plurality of pads I 5, the f device may include `a plurality of magnets of Asuitable shapesarranged in lthe requiredpositiona It -*willbe evident that if desired an electromagnetmay rbe used 'in lieu of fthe permanent magnet I3 and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure showing -by way of example, `the vsubstitution of'an electro-magnet 24 provided with Winding 25 'to which current may be `supplied from any suitable-source 'by conductors 26.

The ash tray-.shown in Figures 6 and 7 comprisesahousing :generally designated lI in the form of a thin shellmoulded fromsuitable plasM tic-material, such shell being hollow on its underside and lcomprising -a ycircular' base with an upstanding hollow'rim H91 and an integral upstanding hollow central projection HG2 karranged on opposite sides of and defining an ash andimatch holding annular groove III.

The upper portion of the central projection H202 -is :shaped to -form a relatively .deep diametrically disposed slot II2 of sufficient width to pass a cigarette and the sides of which are formed by spaced opposed portions of the projection. The lower portion of this slot is parallel sided, while the upper portions of said sides diverge upwardly as best shown in Figure 7. The opposite end portions of the bottom of the slot slope downwardlyj and merge into hthe .corresponding Yportions of the annular groove as shown in Figure 8.

:A permanent magnet I I3 of incomplete circular or so-called horseshoe shape is arranged within therhollowcentralv projection I |02 of the housing the pole portions thereof are disposed on oppos'itesideslof the slot H2 whereby the eld of Vthe magnet extends transversely across said slot between the poles of the magnet. Thus the pole portions of the magnet are located within the spaced .hollow .portions of the housing on opposite v'sides of 'the slot 'I I2.

l'The magnet is retained vin .position within the shell in any convenient manner such as by embedding same in ya body H4 of suitable material such asplaster with which `the hollow shell IIS is lled.

Preferably, the sides and bottom of the diametrical slot I'I2- are lined by inserting within said slot an arcuate member I3@ and having a U-shaped section and formed of thin resilient metal whichlis frictionally'retained in position and which may'readily beremov'ed for cleaning.

A pad I If finely divided ferro-magnetic material is arranged horizontally within the slot II2 between the pole/'portions ofthe magnet IIB andis retained in such position bythe magnetic el'd such, pad being preferablyiformed of -magneticA oxide of iron, ground to a substantially Aimpalpable.. powder.

The (particles of the'ferro-magnetic material form spicule likefaggregations which extend generally in the ydirection'of the magnetic eld across the slot and provided the constituent particles are vsufficiently iine, the -padiormed thereby is soft and yieldablein character so' that the lighted end of a cigarette III) mayreadily penetrate same.

TheXcigarette-whenso inserted is 4quickly extinguished partly by lack of suiiicient air to sustain combustion and partly by thermal conduction.

It will be observed from Figure 8 that the pad II' is disposed some distance Aabove the bottom of the .slot .I I2 wherebyafreeairspace is providedtherebetweenso that ash isfree to fall from thepad ontothe sloping bottom ofthe slot and by which it .is directed into Jthe annular groove III.

Moreover, ythe extinguished cigarette may be left supported in the pad H5 and when same is subsequently withdrawn the cav-ity formed thereby in the said pad Yis partlyrrelled, by the consequent redistribution of the ferro-magnetic particles withinthe magnetic eld.

Ash or other non-magnetic material which is deposited on or within the pad may be removed to a sufficient extent by inverting the device and shaking or tapping same.

Thesaid pad may be formed by pouring" the powdered ferro-magnetic materialinto the yslot I I2Y between thepolesof the magnetlbut same is preferably supplied as -a paper wrapped rell which may kbe inserted in the Vrequired position after which thepaper wrapping may be burnt oil.

.Although lthe magnetic field is of maximum intensityin the spacebetween'thefpolesof the mag net, it 'extends also-through the space fimmedi ately surrounding the upper end of the central projection llzso `that jai suitably'` shaped steel support H-'I fora vcigaretteyor cigar may` be retained theretoby magnetic attraction. It is to be noted that this support III is disposed inwardly of the outer rim of the shell I l0, so that if a cigarette should fall therefrom, it will be received within the annular groove Il I, thus reducing the risk of damage to tables and covering thereof. Y

I claim:

1. A device for use in extinguishing cigarettes and the like comprising a magnet, a support therefor, said magnet having spaced adjacent poles`with a free accessible space therebetween of sufcientwidth to permit a cigarettetopass, a readily penetrable extinguishing pad of Ainely divided .ferro-'magnetic material magnetically supported solely by the magnetic field within said free space between the said poles and guiding means constituting part lof said support for guiding particles of ferro-magnetic material to the zone of the magnetic field.

2. AY smokers device having a housing formed with an ash receiving cavity, magnet means arranged within and completely enclosed by said housing, said magnet means incorporating an adjacent pair of opposite pole portions with an exposed free space therebetween of sufficient width to permit a cigarette to pass and a readily penetrable extinguishing pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material magnetically supported between said pole portions, said pad being disposed above and spaced from the bottom of said cavity whereby there is a free air space below said pad.

3. In a smokers device, a housing of plastic material formed with an ash retaining cavity and magnet means carried in said housing and having a pair of spaced and substantially horizontally opposed pole portions disposed above the bottom of said cavity, said housing having a spaced pair of substantially parallel portions extending between and at least partly above said magnet pole portions and defining the opposite sides of an intervening slot of suiiicient width to permit a cigarette to pass, whereby a readily penetrable pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material may be magnetically supported within said slot in spaced relation to the bottom of the slot.

4. In a smokers device, a housing having a substantially fiat back and formed with an ash retaining cavity disposed forwardly of said back, a magnet arranged within said housing and having spaced pole portions of opposite polarity disposed above the bottom of said cavity and adjacen-t the back thereof, whereby the field of said magnet will extend into the space behind said back of the housing and enable the latter to be magnetically attached to a support of ferrous metal, said housing having spaced hollow wall portions within which said magnet pole portions are located and which define therebetween an exposed slot of suiiicient width to permita cigarette to pass, whereby a readily penetrable pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material may be magnetically supported within said slot in spaced relation to the bottom of the slot.

5. In a smokers device, a hollow housing having a substantially fiat back, said housing being formed with an ash retaining cavity which is open at the top, :a horseshoe magnet arranged substantially vertically within the rear portion of '6 the housing having opposed arms disposed adjacent the back thereof and with the free ends of said arms uppermost, said housing including spaced hollow portions of non-magnetic material extending forwardly from the back thereof and enclosing the respective free ends'of the magnet, said spaced portions defining opposite sides'of a transversewslot which extends between the said free ends of the magnet and terminates in advance thereof but rearwardly of the front wall of the housing whereby a readily penetrable pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material may be magnetically supported within said slot in spaced relation to the bottom of the slot and between said free ends of the magnet and wherein said magnet produces an external magnetic field in the space behind the housing whereby the latter may be magnetically attached to a support of ferrous metal, said housing also having a forwardly and Vdownwardy extending ash collecting Iand diverting surface Vdefining the bottom of said transverseslot, the forward end of said slot being openjand communicating with the cavity in the housing in advance of the magnet, said slot being of"sucien t width to permit a cigarette to pass.

6. In a smoker/s device, a housing formed` with 'an `ash retaining cavity, said housing havin-g spaced opposed portions extending substantially above the level of the bottom of the cavity and defining the sides of an intervening slot of suflicient width to -permit a -cigarette to pass, and a magnet fixed completely within said housing, said magnet having an opposed pair of opposite pole portions located outwardly of and adjacent to sai-d opposed portions of the housing and substantially above the bottom of said cavity, so that the field of the magnet 4extends through -s-aid opposed portions of the housing and across said slot whereby a readily penetrable continuous pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material may be magnetically supported within the slot with its lower surf-ace disposed above and spaced from the bottom of said cavity.

7. A smokers device comprising a housing formed with an ash retaining cavity, said housing having spaced opposed portions located substantially above the level of the bottom of the cavity, and forming the sides of an intervening substantially horizontal slot which is open at the top and which is of suicient width to permit a cigarette to pass, a magnet fixed completely Within the housing, said magnet having an opposed pair of opposite pole portions located outwardly of and adjacent to said opposed portions of the housing and inwardly from one end at least of the slot therebetween, a readily penetrable pad of finely divided ferro-magnetic material magnetically supported within and extending Vcontinuously across the slot between said pole portions of the magnet and means forming below and spaced from the bottom of said pad an ash diverting surface located above the level and at one side of the bottom of the cavity and ad-apted to direct ashes thereinto.

8. In `a smokers device, a housing formed with an ash retaining cavity, la magnet secured to said housing and having spaced pole portions disposed substantially in horizontal alignment above the bottom of the cavity, said housing having spaced portions substantially enclosing said pole portions of the magnet and extending upwardly and laterally beyond said pole portions of the magnet and ydefining opposite sides of an intervening exposed slot of sufficient width to permit a cigarette to pass whereby a readily penetrable -pad of finely 7. divided -tferroma'gnetic 'material may' be magnetically Y supported within said `4slot between said p'oleportions of the magnet in spaced relation to the'bottom ofthe slot.

9. 4 -In 'a smokers device, a hollow housing formed (rf-'molded plastic material and having a substantially nat back, they forward'po'rti'on of said housing forming an ash lretainin-g cavity which' is open :at the top, said housing :also having spaced portions extending forwardly from'the upp-erl'port'en of the back and terminating 'rearwardlyof the forward end of the housing, said spaced portions of the housing defining the sides of an intervening slot of sufficient width to permit a cigarette to pass, a horseshoe magnet fixed within the' rearportion of the housing with the arms thereofr extending upwardly 'and with the free -upper ends ofrsaid arms arranged at the opposite sidesof said s'lot and outwardly of and close Ato the respective sides thereof whereby the iieldof the magnet extends transversely across the "slot-andthrough said spaced portions ofthe housing and also extends into the space behind theback'thereof, said housing also having 'a portionwhich forms abottom for said slotl and which extends `forwardly and downwardly fto direct ash into "said cavity f therein,"V said f slot beingof :stiflicientY depthv to enable"a"contr`1uous readily penetrable pad ofinelyv divided ferrolinag'netic material to be magnetically supported within the slot" iand spaced above 'the bottomthereof.

ARTHR JOHN *GASKIN REFERENCES CITED The vfollowing references are of record inthe le of this patent:

vNITED STATES `PA'IlVIS Number VName Date 655,413 Pfkyn 'Aug. '1;1900 1,677,919 Hansen Ju'lyf'24,'1`928 2,018,271 Lewis Oct; V22, 1935 Hllry' OCtf-S, 2,345,029 Brooks Mar. 28,1944 2;,4141`g653 Lookholder Jan. 21, 1947 2,442,638 COf June 1, 1948 FOREIGN `PATErrrs Number Country `Date 613,825 Great Britain *Dec.v3, 1948 833,321 'France Oct. 19, 1938 

